Ladders are known, which have a first and a second ladder element, which are each constructed like straight ladders with two sidepieces and a corresponding number of crosspieces. The two ladder elements can usually be connected at their upper end areas in order to construct a self-standing ladder like a free-standing ladder. In order to guarantee a secure stand of the ladder, it is necessary to not only connect the upper end areas of the ladder elements in a suitable manner, but to take care, that the lower end areas, which are set on the ground, do not move away from one another under stress, which would result in a collapse of the free-standing ladder.
In order to prevent an unfolding or moving apart of the lower ends of the two ladder elements, it is prescribed for safety technical reasons, in particular in the case of ladder elements, which are connected by a hinge in their upper area, that the lower areas of the ladder elements are connected by means of a tie rod limiting the maximum spreading of the ladder elements. The use of a tie rod is disadvantageous particularly for multi-purpose ladders, in which the ladder elements can also be used in a different arrangement with one another, since the tie rod must be installed by the operator when using the ladder elements in the form of a free-standing ladder. The danger exists at all times, that this safety measure will be forgotten.
The upper areas of the ladder elements are clamped together in a known connecting element for connecting two ladder elements. Said clamping, however, cannot prevent a further angular spreading of the ladder elements in the known connecting elements, because said ladder elements are usually manufactured of aluminum profiles with a thin cross section and because forces can occur in the known connecting elements, which forces can result in a destruction or damage of the aluminum profiles. It is therefore necessary for safety reasons also in these embodiments to use a tie rod. The tie rod is also disadvantageous, because in particular a moving of the two ladder elements with respect to one another, as is desirous for other uses, is not possible, since the tie rod either limits the path of movement or must be released by the operator resulting again in the already described safety problems.
The basic purpose of the invention is to produce a connecting element of the above-mentioned type, which with a simple design and safe handling permits a connection of two ladder elements such, that a tie rod is not needed and the relative mobility of the two ladder elements with respect to other variations in arrangement is not hindered.